What we are

Music, method and madness is a blog where we love music and where we love to write. It is a spot where you can share your memories of music - the first song you sang on stage, the song your mom used to sing to you, your national anthem. It is where you can share your knowledge of music...what makes the song so special? It is where you can put up clips of your music, if you sing or play an instrument. And if you like to write stories like me, you can write tales about your favourite songs!

In short, it does not matter what language, genre, period your song is about. It does not matter what language you write in, even. Music is universal. That's the spirit of our space! Let us revel in its universality.

In accordance with its universal spirit, anyone can write on Music, method and madness. It should be about music, that;s the only criterion. Interested? Draft a post, and send it to me. I will add you as an author on the blog, and you can post your subsequent posts yourself!

Sociable

After that last post, I could not go without mentioning this song :) You have umpteen number of songs where people missing each other and yearning for each other burst into song, but this one is unique because the brother and sister who miss each other sing the song to their children, who have not seen their aunt/uncle respectively. In the end, you wonder if the lullaby is to put the children to sleep, or an unconscious song of sustenance, for themselves, and for the beloved sibling.

I tried to get hold of a video of the song (where's the video when the video DOES make sense!?) just so that we could see Sivaji and Savitri. They add a certain dimension of depth to the song!

In case you cannot read the Tamil script, I have tried to provide a rough translation of the lyrics - there is no way it can touch the original though.

My daughter, growingLike a half-blown flower, neither bud nor bloomDaughter dearest, coming upLike dawn, neither darkness nor lightLittle breeze, playing with the river's watersAnd caressed by the fronds(how on earth do you translate கொடியின் தலை சீவி?)Like the Tamizh Sangam, born in theMighty Podhigai hill,Wafting down to the banks of Madurai.

Gold and silver and stonesAnd land and grain and wealthHe shall bring to the tableTo ask for your hand in marriage.Daughter! For you,He would trade the world,Your uncle, daughter,For you.

Please note that I have taken some artistic license with the word "பொருள்".

Also, isn't this a thought? The uncle hardly knows the little girl. But isn't the faith of the sister tremendous, that the uncle would trade the world to keep his sister's daughter happy, all because she is the sister's daughter? And that changes the tone of the song - it is no more about the children, it is all about the brother and sister.